reheating lye

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renaissancemom

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i just made a batch of lye and put it outside in the 32degree cold to cool down. 2 questions: 1. can lye freeze? and 2. I normally warm lye up with a warm bath but can i quickly put it in the microwave instead?
 
I rewarm lye mix all the time in the microwave. I heat 32 oz of water/lye on high for about 2.5 minutes to get it to about 120 degrees.

And as far as freezing, I suppose it COULD freeze, but definitely not at 32. The lye acts sort of like anitfreeze, and lowers the freezing temp for the water.
 
ChrissyB said:
Oh please be careful reheating lye in the microwave, that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

I've reheated for 20sec intervals at 50% & had it crackle & pop. Sometimes it's fine,others not but it makes me real nervous.Giving up the practise....
 
Well the lye mix I microwave is about 1/3 lye and 2/3 water .... in a big, thick-walled, glass "batter bowl" with the cover loosely laid on top. I have never had a problem with it.
 
I've frozen lye water solid in my freezer - which is set at about zero F, if memory serves.

I really don't recommend microwaving it - ever - but if you are going to, be very very careful and while I"m glad no one has been hurt - please don't use any form of glass. seriously. read about pyrex shattering.

Don't even mix the sol'n in glass. Really. Please.

To warm your lye solution, set it in a pot or bowl of hot water.
 
Carebear, I have never had a problem with my Pyrex-like batter bowl (another brand) and I have mixed AND reheated in it over 40 times. I don't know if folks who have them shatter have caused/allowed sudden temperature changes like immersing in a sink of ice water while the lye mix was near boiling or what.

If not glass, what do you mix your lye water in? I tried plastic before and it appeared to take on a color as though it had dissolved a little of the plastic into the mix. I am not sure what metal/s could be repeatedly used for this without suffering damage from the repeated strong caustic exposure. What does everyone use then?
 
I mix my lye in a kool-aid type pitcher I got from the dollar store. You want to find one with a "5" inside the triangle and "PP" under that for a recycle code. They will take the heat.

Bruce
 
I use a 64oz stainless steel pitcher that's sold as a milk frothing pitcher. It doesn't react with lye and it's a great conductor of heat which makes for quick and easy temp adjustments in either a cold or warm water bath.
 
NEVER EVER reheat lye solution in a microwave. Too dangerous, fumes, splatter, explosions, Chemical burns.
dont even think about stovetop
Warm water bath and patience.
 
i use a hard plastic measuring container from hardware strore, used the same ones for over 100 batches, no prob, with glass i found it took too long to cool down my mixture. I personally wouldnt put lye mix in micro, but thats just me.
 
A rubbermaid plastic pitcher works great fro me. I premix in that and once it is cooled I store in an HDPE laundry detergent bottle. I do not re-heat... it works great for me at room temp. And I would never put it in the microwave.

I have read on several forums where using glass... even pyrex glass, to mix lye will etch the glass over time and eventually cause hairline cracks that will fracture. Never experienced this myself and not willing to risk it.
 
Why not soap it cool/cold? I purposely soaped with cold lye water just to see what would happen and it soaped just fine. No problems at all.
 
Right... the idea that your oils and lye have to be at the exact same temp is a myth.

I'm not saying that temperature doesn't affect things like trace etc... but you can soap just fine at room temperature. And I have not used a thermometer in well over a year.

Soaping at room temp also helps me to prevent gel in my soaps because it rarely gets very hot to begin with. I've only overheated my soap once and that was from an experiment when I tried to force gel in the oven.
 
I soap at room temp and cold for whipped...I have been soaping a long time and have never used temps. Maybe it it a myth???
 
If your lye solution is cooler than your oils then you can get a false trace - essentially the lye solution contributes to the oils thickening and solidifying. So it's good, at least when starting out, to have lye and oils around the same temp.

I used to soap warm (say 100 - 110 deg) but went to soaping with lye and oils both cooled to about room temp to give myself more time. But now I've gone back to warm for many soaps as it helps ensure gel - plus I've very little patience. So with FOs that will let me, I tend to soap warm again.
 
I agree with you if your just starting out- you really should absolutely know how to soap warm, cold and everything in between. I gel in the oven if I'm not using milk or honey.
Good point carebear. :)
 
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